DISPOSABLE SAFETY NEEDLE SYSTEM AND SAFETY ENCLOSURE MEANS

• US 20110125056A1
• Filed: 01/29/2010
• Published: 05/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Michael Merchant
• Original Assignee: Michael Merchant
• Inventors: Merchant, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,221,352 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/567
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15003 for venous or arterial blood
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150389 Hollow piercing elements, e.g. canulas, needles, for piercing the skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150503 Single-ended needles hollow piercing element tip design A61B5/150396, needle sets for catheters A61M25/06, needles for bringing media into the body A61M5/32
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150641 comprising means to impede repositioning of protection sleeve from covering to uncovering position
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15074 Needle sets comprising wings, e.g. butterfly type, for ease of handling
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/153 Devices specially adapted for taking samples of venous or arterial blood, e.g. with syringes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3202 Devices for protection of the needle before use, e.g. caps A61M5/50 takes precedence; for infusion spikes A61M5/1626; protectors for sharps A61B50/3001
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3213 Caps placed axially onto the needle, e.g. equipped with finger protection guards axially-extensible protective sleeves A61M5/3243
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3273 freely sliding on needle shaft without connection to syringe or needle

Abstract

A disposable safety needle assembly and safety enclosure means for internally shielding a used or contaminated needle is disclosed. The needle assembly has a needle cannula which is disposed and slidably within a safety enclosure. The safety enclosure includes an internally disposed flexible safety member situated substantially longitudinally within said flexible safety member, having a face portion transversely having a safety feature and being disposed to the needle and cooperatively sliding thereon. Retraction of the needle within the safety enclosure to a point wherein the sharp tip of the needle is beyond the needle protection section of the flexible member causes the protection section to travel transversely to the direction of motion of the needle and the safety feature receiving the sharp tip of the needle and preventing it from exiting the enclosure, thereby maintaining the needle safely after use.

Claims

1. An apparatus for securing and protecting the tip of a needle, the needle having a body portion and a diameter, the apparatus comprising:

a safety enclosure having an interior space a first base, a pair of second bases, a longitudinal axis, the needle being slidably disposed within said interior space of said safety enclosure;

a hub portion;

a flexible member having a length, said base portion being flexibly connected to said safety enclosure by said flexible member;

a flexible safety member having a face portion, a bendable portion, first and second notches, and rear portion, said flexible safety member being disposed substantially longitudinally within said interior space wherein said rear portion is firmly attached to said first and second notches are sized and configured to receive said pair of second bases, said bendable portion being bent such that said face portion is disposed substantially transversely within said interior space, wherein said bent portion biases said face portion in said transverse direction;

said face portion including a safety feature sized and dimensioned to receive the tip of the needle;

said safety enclosure having two positions, a use position and a safe position;

said use position in which the tip of the needle extends beyond the interior of said safety enclosure and said face portion is prevented from movement by the needle;

said safe position in which said safety enclosure is moved such that the tip of the needle is brought into said interior of said safety enclosure to a safe position where the tip of the needle is brought further into the interior than said face portion of said flexible safety member, wherein said face portion is able to move transversely and to cover the tip of the needle, wherein the tip of the needle is received by the safety feature.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the safety feature comprises an orifice in said face portion of said flexible safety member that is sized and dimensioned to receive the tip of the needle.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said orifice of said safety feature has a diameter that is less than the diameter of the needle body;

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the flexible safety member is constructed of material that has sufficient strength to prevent the tip of the needle from further expanding said diameter of said orifice of said safety feature.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the safety feature comprises an indent in said face portion of said flexible safety member that is sized and dimensioned to receive the tip of the needle.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said indent of said safety feature has a diameter that is less than the diameter of the needle body.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the flexible safety member is constructed of material that has sufficient strength to prevent the tip of the needle from further expanding said diameter of said orifice of said safety feature.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the safety enclosure is substantially a rectangular parallelepiped in shape

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said rectangular parallelepiped is a rectangular cuboid

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said safety enclosure is substantially cylindrical in shape

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said safety enclosure is constructed of a material having sufficient strength to resist being punctured by the tip of the needle.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a piece of hollow tubing having an outer surface, said hollow tubing being mechanically attached to the needle to be in fluid communication with the tip of the needle, said hub being fixedly disposed about the outer surface of the hollow tubing.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said hollow tubing is flexible.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a piece of hollow tubing having an outer surface, said hollow tubing being bonded to the needle to be in fluid communication with the tip of the needle, said hub being fixedly disposed about the outer surface of the hollow tubing.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said hollow tubing is flexible.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a flexible coupling having a predetermined length, the flexible coupling having two ends, one end being coupled to the hub and the second end being coupled to the safety enclosure.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the flexible coupling comprises first and second flexible tethers, each of said first and second flexible tethers being coupled between the hub and the safety enclosure.

18. An apparatus for securing and protecting the tip of a needle, the apparatus comprising:

a needle having a body portion and a diameter;

a safety enclosure having an interior space a first base, a pair of second bases, a longitudinal axis, the needle being slidably disposed within said interior space of said safety enclosure;

a hub portion;

a flexible member having a length, said base portion being flexibly connected to said safety enclosure by said flexible member;

a flexible safety member having a face portion, a bendable portion, first and second notches, and rear portion, said flexible safety member being disposed substantially longitudinally within said interior space wherein said rear portion is firmly attached to said first and second notches are sized and configured to receive said pair of second bases, said bendable portion being bent such that said face portion is disposed substantially transversely within said interior space, wherein said bent portion biases said face portion in said transverse direction;

said face portion including a safety feature sized and dimensioned to receive the tip of the needle;

said safety enclosure having two positions, a use position and a safe position;

said use position in which the tip of the needle extends beyond the interior of said safety enclosure and said face portion is prevented from movement by the needle;

said safe position in which said safety enclosure is moved such that the tip of the needle is brought into said interior of said safety enclosure to a safe position where the tip of the needle is brought further into the interior than said face portion of said flexible safety member, wherein said face portion is able to move transversely and to cover the tip of the needle, wherein the tip of the needle is received by the safety feature.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said needle is a fistula needle, whereby said fistula needle may be used for dialysis.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said needle is a blood drawing needle, whereby said blood drawing needle may be used for drawing blood from a patient.